Case study approaches and applications

¶ … Accent Dilemma

As much as people would like to live in a world without discrimination, it would be difficult and almost impossible for such a world to exist concomitantly to values that the social order currently promotes. Lee should consider taking on a more objective attitude in order for the interviewer to be less prejudiced than he or she would be in a situation involving a 'typical' Asian person. It is not necessarily that Lee would have to abandon his cultural values and to ignore the significance of her cultural identity. However, the reality is that people are prejudiced and stereotypes dominate the social order. This means that people should avoid putting across behaviors that could make others associate them with particular stereotypes as long as they want to achieve their goals.

It would be inevitable for a person like Lee not to consider stereotypes when dealing with a job interview. "Members of minority groups may enter a wide range of social situations involving members of the majority culture as hesitant and unconfident, and they may be greeted in a less than welcoming way." (Schneider 217) Individuals belonging to the white majority might take on involuntary attitudes that appear to be exaggerated and can make non-whites feel uncomfortable as a result of these respective attitudes.